Everyone in the racing world is in shock after hearing the news that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes to race for Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Hamilton is a seven-time world champion and holds the record for the most F1 victories and pole positions, with 103 and 104 of them, respectively.
He's gonna say goodbye to Mercedes at the end of this season and take Carlos Sainz's place at Ferrari.
…btw, Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari is here we go — agreed and confirmed 🫨🏴 pic.twitter.com/lMcefMKHQj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 1, 2024
Hamilton used a release option in his Mercedes contract to make this surprising move.
This allowed him to sign a "multi-year" deal with the famous Italian team. The news came out Thursday night, which surprised Mercedes workers in Brackley who had been told earlier in the day.
He joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013 and has won six world titles with the team. He is British and 39 years old. His contract with Mercedes was set to end at the end of 2025, but Hamilton's choice to leave changed his career path in a big way.
Hamilton's new Ferrari partner is Charles Leclerc, who just signed a new deal with the company.
Both drivers have a lot of experience and have done well in Formula 1, which makes them a dangerous pair for Scuderia Ferrari.
There has been a lot of talk about the move because Hamilton has ties to Ferrari that go back to his F1 start with McLaren in 2007.
Hamilton left McLaren at the end of 2012 to join Mercedes, even though McLaren was where he won his first world title in 2008. He has won 82 races with Mercedes, making their relationship the most successful in F1 history.
Since the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, Hamilton has had a hard time. Red Bull became the leader under the new rules for 2022, and Mercedes has had a hard time keeping its edge.
Hamilton's last win was in December 2021. Since then, he hasn't been able to get pole position or win a race, and the run will continue into 2023.
In May 2023, Hamilton said he was happy with Mercedes and played down rumours that he might be moving to Ferrari.
Hamilton may have changed his mind because he wanted to join the famous Italian team and follow in the paths of Michael Schumacher, who won five of his seven titles with Ferrari.
The shocking move has put Mercedes in a tough spot because they lost one of the best drivers ever.
With Hamilton's exit, there are questions about who will take his place. George Russell has been mentioned as a possible candidate to become the team's No. 1 driver.
It also affects Carlos Sainz, who works with Hamilton at Ferrari and will not have a job for the 2025 season because of this move.
Hamilton's choice has effects on driver lineups and team relations all over the F1 grid, not just on the track.
The racing world is still trying to figure out what happened, and Hamilton's move to Ferrari starts a new chapter in his already impressive career.
Fans eagerly anticipate the day when the seven-time world champion will wear the famous red Ferrari uniform and try to win an eighth world title.
The official announcement is due in the next few weeks. After that, everyone in motorsport will be very interested in seeing how this huge change in how drivers interact with each other plays out.
Hamilton's move to Ferrari is not only a change in sports but also a big event in Formula 1's history. It starts a new era for one of the sport's most famous players.